Portable biometric monitoring devices and methods of operating same

• US 9,596,990 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Park, James, Brumback, Christine Boomer, Knight, David Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afrifa-Kyei, Anthony D
• Application Number:
  US14/073,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20140127996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.52, 340/4.12, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 340/3.71, 340/870.16, 340/693.12, 340/870.09, 116/67, 116/200, 713/186
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to portable biometric monitoring device including a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the user'"'"'s body, at least one band to secure the monitoring device to the user, a physiological sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of a physiological condition of the user data. The physiological sensor may include a light source to generate and output light having at least a first wavelength, and a photodetector to detect scattered light (e.g., from the user). A light pipe is disposed in the housing and optically coupled to the light source directs/transmits light therefrom along a predetermined path to an outer surface of the housing. Processing circuitry calculates a heart rate of the user using data which is representative of the scattered light.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a user with external data from an external device on a biometric monitoring device comprising one or more processors, one or more motion sensors, and an element configured to present information, the method comprising:

at the biometric monitoring device, receiving external data about a phone call or a text message from the external device;

obtaining motion data using the one or more motion sensors of the biometric monitoring device, wherein the motion data are indicative of physical movements or physical states of the user;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the motion data to determine that one or more criteria for presenting the external data about the phone call or the text message have been met; and

presenting, based at least partly on determining that the one or more criteria have been met, the external data about the phone call or the text message to the user via the element configured to present information on the biometric monitoring device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the external data further comprises fitness training cues, fitness coaching advice, and/or health coaching advice to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the external data further comprises an alert to the user that the user has missed the phone call or the text message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the external data further comprises Internet content.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the Internet content comprises social media content, information from a periodical, and/or weather information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device is a server or a client device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device is a smart phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device is a tablet or a computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band designed to be worn around a wrist or ankle or wherein the biometric monitoring device is configured to be worn in a clip mounted to an article of clothing.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the element configured to present information from the biometric monitoring device comprises an audio device configured to present the information by sound.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises an application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the application is configured to fuse with an application on the external device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising vibrating the biometric monitoring device using a vibration inducing motor.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the motion data obtained by the one or more motion sensors, thereby determining that the user is not in motion on an airplane.

15. The method of claim 13,

wherein vibrating the biometric monitoring device comprises starting a small vibration and progressively increasing the intensity or noticeability of the vibration.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting that the biometric monitoring device is attached to, disposed on, and/or worn by the user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting that the biometric monitoring device is attached to, disposed on, and/or worn by the user comprises determining that one or more light detectors of the biometric monitoring device receives a high return signal.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the external data is based partly on determining that the user has not provided a user interaction to dismiss the phone call or the text message.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria for presenting the external data having been met indicates that the biometric monitoring device is attached to, disposed on, and/or worn by the user.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the external data is not presented to the user via the element when the one or more criteria for presenting the external data have not been met.